Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jeanne Hardt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jeanne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

A dream inspired me to write my first novel. A friend of our family, who is a successful, published author, encouraged me to join a local writers group. That was the best advice I could have ever been given. I attended every monthly meeting, went to writers conferences, gobbled up information from every seminar offered, and picked the brains of the published authors in the group. I learned that I had a lot to learn! Yes, I could write, but I knew nothing about the particulars of putting together a book that would be successful. My fellow authors eagerly shared what they knew. I soaked it all and applied it to my own writing.

I’m often asked if I have a degree in English. No, I don’t. However, I was one of those nerdy kids who loved dissecting sentences in English class. To me, grammar was a fun game! That knowledge was essential for successfully putting a manuscript together. So, truthfully, my learning began long before I ever started writing novels. The foundations I learned as a child set the stage for what I discovered I truly wanted to do with my life.

As far as learning more, I believe that I can always improve my craft, so I continue to seek out other authors for brainstorming sessions. The industry is constantly changing, and it’s important that I keep up with it. The only obstacle that keeps me from doing that is time. My days fill up fast with writing, editing manuscripts of other authors, and teaching writing classes. I love to “pay it forward” and share what I’ve learned with other aspiring writers.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I moved to Nashville, TN in 1993 to pursue a career in music and acting. Nashville seemed like a good fit for my ‘country/folk’ style. Before moving to Tennessee, I lived in the Pacific Northwest and performed as a lead singer with a band called Jambeau. I also acted in commercials, promotional videos, and musical theater, and I spent a lot of studio time doing voice-over work.

The creative arts have always driven and inspired me. I wrote songs, plays, and a little poetry, but until a dream inspired my first novel in 2010, I had never considered writing a full-length book. Now, it’s my passion. History and English were my favorite subjects in school, so it seemed fitting that my first book was historical fiction, and since I moved to the South, I was drawn to Civil War Era history. It was a sad, yet crucial time in the history of the United States, and I feel it shouldn’t be forgotten. I hope that by sharing my stories and reminding people of our painful past, we can keep such horrible things from happening again.

My writing has branched out into other genres: contemporary women’s fiction, young adult fiction and fantasy, and medieval fantasy. However, my most popular books are still my historical fiction. To date, I have published 32 titles, and my most popular series is called “The Smoky Mountain Secrets Saga.” This series is set in Cades Cove, Tennessee, in the Smoky Mountains and book one, “Whispers from the Cove,” is set at the end of the Civil War. Although the main characters are fictitious, the events that unfold actually happened. The farming families of the cove were traumatized by soldiers from both sides of the war coming into the cove and helping themselves to whatever they pleased. The cove families developed a system to alert one another about the presence of soldiers.

With historical fiction, I bring the stories to life, allowing my readers to step back in time and walk in the footsteps of the past. I do believe in happy endings, but don’t expect it by the end of book one. True to life, my characters go through a lot of angst before finding happiness.

Going forward, I will continue to write my own books, but I’ve also become passionate about helping new writers. I teach writing classes and workshops, and I also work as an editor, helping authors hone their work to the best it can be.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I was blessed to have parents who encouraged me to follow my dreams. My practical dad also urged me to learn some kind of trade that would pay the bills while I struggled as a typical ‘starving artist.’ But the idea of making a lot of money at what I love to do has never been the driving force. The most rewarding aspect of using my creativity is sharing it with other people. I get extreme joy from seeing someone’s face light up when they talk about one of my stories. I’ve had readers tell me that the characters in my books feel like new friends. I also had a reader tell me that my Southern Secrets Saga helped her recover from a horrible accident, and she thanked me for that.

We deal with troubling things in life every day, and sometimes, we need an escape. Reading about a character’s problems can help people forget their own difficulties for a while. With every story I write, I sprinkle in bits of inspiration. If I can touch a heart in a positive way, that’s the best reward I could ever receive.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to keep following my heart and writing what I’m led to put on the page. My mission is to help others achieve their goals and follow their dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jeannehardt.net OR www.jeannehardt.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeannehardtauthor/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/JEANNEHARDTAUTHOR
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jeannehardtauthor
• Other: www.amazon.com/author/jeannehardt

Image Credits
Haley Mantlo Photography